Coffee Shop Productivity: 6 Reasons to Work from One!

Seeing how this blog post is about coffee shop productivity, it may be a little ironic that I am writing it from a Starbucks. However, I do find that I am at my most productive when I am working from a coffee shop. And it turns out that there is some science that backs up my affinity for working in such an environment.

Before we get to the science behind coffee shop productivity, I would personally like to thank Pope Clement VIII (1536-1605) ² who was largely responsible for the popularity of coffee in the West and eventually the rest of the world.  Yup, those of us who use coffee to bring us to life every morning, owe a debt of gratitude to Clement. Though he was asked by his advisors to ban the drink, he refused to do so until trying some himself. Upon trying it, according to legend, he declared, “This devil’s drink is delicious. We should cheat the devil by baptizing it.” And the rest is java history, coffee soon spread throughout Europe and the rest of the world and became the popular drink that it is today!

So, while he may not be responsible for coffee shops explicitly, he was partly responsible for the popularity of coffee, and without coffee, there would be no coffee shops!

With that being said, today’s post we will discuss coffee shop productivity and some of the reasons why you may want to work from one.

The Rise of the Freelancer Economy…

According to Statista.com,³, there are roughly 62.2 million freelancers in the United Stated today! And by the year 2027, they estimate that 86.5 million people will be freelancing in the United States, which will mean that 53.9% of the American workforce will be freelancers.

While the economy of old had you work for a company for 40 years and then retire, not the new economy.  This new, instant “gig economy” is seeing workers trade cubicles for mobile and technology to build ecosystems of work that they love – many of them at coffee shops or other co-working locations.

But coffee shops aren’t just for freelancers looking for a place to get work done on their laptops. Many of us with traditional 9-5 jobs need a change of scenery now and then.

So, whether you are a freelancer or a traditional worker who has the ability to escape the office for a bit, why not grab your laptop and hit your nearest coffee shop! Because as you will see it has been proven to increase both your creativity and productivity.

Let’s now examine some of the reasons for coffee shop productivity.

Coffee Shop Productivity: 6 Reasons to Work from One!

(1)  It’s good to change your environment

Many times, simply a change of scenery is all you need to kick your brain into high gear. Our human brains love and seek novelty and new things – whether it is a new city, a new car or a new job.  Working in the same place can get old and we can fall into routines easily. But, by changing our work environment we can satisfy our brain’s urge to experience novelty. And as we have discussed in previous posts, new and exciting things can cause our brains to release dopamine ⁴ which helps to inspire us to both work and learn better.

(2)  Mental effort exertion is contagious

A study conducted by the Harvard Business Review showed that “who an employee sits next to affects how they perform — and grouping the right types of coworkers together can improve productivity and work quality. ¹ In other words, sitting the right people together can help to improve their work performance.

This may be part of the explanation for coffee shop productivity as when we are around other motivated people in coffee shops who are focused and working hard, it may cause us to step up our game as well.

(3)  Limited distractions

This is one that I have noticed myself. We have discussed ad nauseum in previous posts how multitasking hinders productivity. Oftentimes when you are in a traditional office, you are constantly interrupted by phone calls, people coming into your office, etc. which puts you into a forced multitasking mode, which can hinder your productivity.

In coffee shops, those distractions are absent and if you are afraid people will start talking to you simply throw on a pair of headphones and no one will bother you!

(4)  Noise can boost creativity

Several studies have shown that the ideal working environment should be filled with a little ambient noise. Researchers at the University of British Columbia  ⁵ found that people were most creative when the background noise was measured at roughly 70 decibels, which is similar to what you would find in a coffee shop. Interestingly, environments, where the sound was 50 decibels, was too quiet, while environments, where the volume was 85 decibels (think noisy construction going on outside), were seen as too noisy.

(5)  Networking

I cannot tell you how many people I have met in coffee shops. While there are times you want to get focused work done, there are also times where you want some social interaction that you don’t get from working in a from home. So, whether it is just shooting the breeze with someone new or getting a fresh perspective or idea – coffee shops can be great for networking as well!

(6)  Access to Java

Lastly, for myself and many others, caffeine has been shown to improve mood and productivity and keep you more alert. I always get my best work done after a couple of cups of coffee in the morning. However, if coffee isn’t your thing, grab some tea or your beverage of choice. Just remember, there are known problems with drinking coffee – so consume it in moderation.

Coffee Isn’t Just for Office Workers and Freelancers!

Speaking of coffee boosting productivity, here’s an interesting one!

Back in 2015, tennis player, Serena Williams was feeling a bit sluggish in her match against Flavia Pannetta in the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia.

After losing the first set 6-0 she asked the umpire if she could get one of the ball girls to bring her a cup of espresso.  The cup of “miracle coffee” did the trick and she recovered to win the match 0-6, 6-3, 6-0!

Speaking of “miracle coffee”, I think it is time this blogger got another cup!

Until next time…game-set-match – coffee shop productivity and as always…PYMFP!
–Rick

What Do You Think About Coffee Shop Productivity?

Do you work from coffee shops frequently or once in a while to take advantage of coffee shop productivity? Were you aware of the coming magnitude of the freelancer economy? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

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References

¹ https://hbr.org/2017/02/want-to-be-more-productive-sit-next-to-someone-who-is
² https://www.catholicgentleman.net/2014/04/blessed-beans-how-the-pope-baptized-coffee/
³ https://www.statista.com/statistics/921593/gig-economy-number-of-freelancers-us/
⁴ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627306004752
⁵ https://theweek.com/articles/474356/secret-creativity-background-noise